Did anyone go to the Abbeydale Picture House?

I'm organising a weekend of film screening at the Abbeydale Picture House and as part of it, I'd like to put up some quotes on the walls of people's memories from the Picture House. If you ever went, what did you see? What experiences did you have there?

If you'd like to come along and see the place in action again, we're opening the doors to the cinema again on 18th & 19th July. We're showing the first film ever shown from 1920 The Call of the Road with live piano accompaniment. In addition, there'll be Laurel and Hardy and Brassed Off and Four Lions.

*Post your name along with your memories folks!*

My mum took me to see a real horror film (black and white) in the sixties. I'd love to go to the weekend.

Have you any details like times, prices, etc?

Was this the cinema that had double seats on the back row?

It was our Saturday night out when we were "courting" back 1966-70. We used to meet in Heeley and walk up Rose Hill to wait in the queue (there was always a queue), the double seats were our favourite obviously! The only films I can recall were The King and I and Mario Lanza in The Student Prince, neither of which we enjoyed.

The walk back down after the film was always via "Pops drink shop".

According to my mother who's now 89 and very astute, my great grandfather along with a doctor friend and a couple of other chaps actually set up the company which started the Abbeydale. I've never researched this claim but, it wouldn't surprise me because he was an entrepreneur and had many interests aside from his cutlery works.

Regards

Duffems (now living in Norfolk but, I never forget my roots!)

I lived off Abbeydale Rd and it was no more than a 5-minute walk to the Cinema, I visited it regularly as a young boy, I remember I went one-day to the matinee (2-4) to see a Tarzan film then watched it again (4-6) and again (6- and my mother fetched me out about 9 o'clock. As I got older I still used to go with my then girl-friend. Saturday evening as a boy I would go with my parents, we would get there for about 7.30 and queue at the side of the Cinema under cover and sometimes the queue would go down an archway but you would still manage to get in and see the film. The shop at the top of Bedale Rd. used to be Poppletons sweet shop and was always busy, a proper little gold-mine. I have very happy memories of the "Abbeydale", going to the cinema these days seems to have lost some thing.

My mum took me to see a real horror film (black and white) in the sixties. I'd love to go to the weekend.

 

Have you any details like times, prices, etc?

 

Was this the cinema that had double seats on the back row?

Do you remember what the horror film was called?

It would be great to have you Minimo. It's £10 for a day ticket (2 films) and £17 for a weekend (4 films). On Sunday, kids under 5 go free. Tickets can be found on eventbrite but the forum doesn't let me post a link. If you go to eventbrite just search "Picture House Revival" and it should appear. Physical tickets available at The Rude Shipyard, Rare & Racey and Kelham Island Tavern.

---------- Post added 30-06-2015 at 23:49 ----------

It was our Saturday night out when we were "courting" back 1966-70. We used to meet in Heeley and walk up Rose Hill to wait in the queue (there was always a queue), the double seats were our favourite obviously! The only films I can recall were The King and I and Mario Lanza in The Student Prince, neither of which we enjoyed.

The walk back down after the film was always via "Pops drink shop".

According to my mother who's now 89 and very astute, my great grandfather along with a doctor friend and a couple of other chaps actually set up the company which started the Abbeydale. I've never researched this claim but, it wouldn't surprise me because he was an entrepreneur and had many interests aside from his cutlery works.

Regards

Duffems (now living in Norfolk but, I never forget my roots!)

Were the double seats a feature of most cinemas or specifically an Abbeydale novelty? Do you happen to remember the colour scheme inside and also the colour of the seats? We're installing some 500 seats left over at the Picture House but not sure which year they are from. I'd say by the look, 60's but by the good condition they're in, perhaps 70's.

Did you have Sarpsarilla at pops? We're building a Temperance bar in the cinema. It'll be great. Could you email me your full name and that which you remember so that I can post it on our website and make it part of the exhibition? My email is: [email protected]

Last question and perhaps the most important; Do you fancy a trip to Sheffield for the weekend?

I used to go to the abbeydale quite often as a young lad .Went with my dad,I remember seeing Lady and the tramp, Magical !. The saddest time was when I went with my granddad to see Old yeller. Cried all the way home at the movies ending. There was a sweet shop next door and very close was a sarsaparilla shop, never did develope much of a taste for it. The bus stop was right outside,great in bad weather. Drove by it several times on my visit home last September, pretty run down but lots of great memories.

Good luck and best wishes on anything that will improve it. ( a coat of paint would help.)

I lived off Abbeydale Rd and it was no more than a 5-minute walk to the Cinema, I visited it regularly as a young boy, I remember I went one-day to the matinee (2-4) to see a Tarzan film then watched it again (4-6) and again (6- and my mother fetched me out about 9 o'clock. As I got older I still used to go with my then girl-friend. Saturday evening as a boy I would go with my parents, we would get there for about 7.30 and queue at the side of the Cinema under cover and sometimes the queue would go down an archway but you would still manage to get in and see the film. The shop at the top of Bedale Rd. used to be Poppletons sweet shop and was always busy, a proper little gold-mine. I have very happy memories of the "Abbeydale", going to the cinema these days seems to have lost some thing.

Sharrovian; same as above. Would you mind giving me your full name so I can make this part of our exhibition and share your story. You can get me at [email protected].

---------- Post added 01-07-2015 at 00:04 ----------

I used to go to the abbeydale quite often as a young lad .Went with my dad,I remember seeing Lady and the tramp, Magical !. The saddest time was when I went with my granddad to see Old yeller. Cried all the way home at the movies ending. There was a sweet shop next door and very close was a sarsaparilla shop, never did develope much of a taste for it. The bus stop was right outside,great in bad weather. Drove by it several times on my visit home last September, pretty run down but lots of great memories.

Good luck and best wishes on anything that will improve it. ( a coat of paint would help.)

I've never seen Old Yeller - is it really that sad? How old were you at the time?

Same as above - could I get your full name so I can share your story?

It was our Saturday night out when we were "courting" back 1966-70. We used to meet in Heeley and walk up Rose Hill to wait in the queue (there was always a queue), the double seats were our favourite obviously! The only films I can recall were The King and I and Mario Lanza in The Student Prince, neither of which we enjoyed.

The walk back down after the film was always via "Pops drink shop".

According to my mother who's now 89 and very astute, my great grandfather along with a doctor friend and a couple of other chaps actually set up the company which started the Abbeydale. I've never researched this claim but, it wouldn't surprise me because he was an entrepreneur and had many interests aside from his cutlery works.

Regards

Duffems (now living in Norfolk but, I never forget my roots!)

Without wishing to be pedantic, Mario Lanza only sang on the soundtrack, Edmund Purdom was the miming "Student Prince'.

ismarbadzic, the film was The Devils or Les Diaboliques starring Simone Signoret (not to be confused with the Oliver Reed film) It is the only film I remember seeing though there must be many others. I lived somewhere between The Abbeydale and The Star on Cemetery Rd and visited both regularly in the fifties and sixties till I left Sheffield.It is really sad to see what happened to these and The Locarno.

Old Yeller is guaranteed to even make grown men cry, or at least shed a surreptitious tear. I'd love to see it again.

I can't make it this weekend but possibly 18/19 July. Is it necessary to book in advance or can one just turn up and pay at the door?

ismarbadzic, the film was The Devils or Les Diaboliques starring Simone Signoret (not to be confused with the Oliver Reed film) It is the only film I remember seeing though there must be many others. I lived somewhere between The Abbeydale and The Star on Cemetery Rd and visited both regularly in the fifties and sixties till I left Sheffield.It is really sad to see what happened to these and The Locarno.

 

Old Yeller is guaranteed to even make grown men cry, or at least shed a surreptitious tear. I'd love to see it again.

 

I can't make it this weekend but possibly 18/19 July. Is it necessary to book in advance or can one just turn up and pay at the door?

Great. Can I get your name and post your story?

It's on track to be a sell out so not sure there will be any on the door. Advanced booking is your best best.

post your full name along with your memories guys so we can put them up!

If you'd like to come along the revivsl is on 18th & 19th July. We're selling tickets online just go to http://www.picturehouserevival.co.uk. We also have a few physical tickers down at Kelham Island Tavern, Rare & Racey and The Rude Shipyard. We'll be down at the Picture House this Sunday for the carboot if you want to come and have a chat about what we're doing.

Went there often in the 50/60s. Do you remember the commissionaire who used to organise the queuing and parking? Sure was a tight fit in that car park. Good job hardly anybody went by car.

If I remember correctly, if it was busy, you queued down one side or the other depending on whether you were going in stall or circle. Those comfy red sofas on the landing outside the circle?

Sweets at the shop on Abbeydale Rd,as mentioned previously, before you went in then if you were lucky afterwards a glass of sass at Pops and a bag of chips at Bedale Fisheries.

Strangely can't remember what I saw apart from ' Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush ' and some rubbish Steptoe film. I think that would have been late 60s. All the stuff I saw as a child is eluding me, probably cos we went that often. We lived at Totley and it was a quick hop onto the 45 and a couple of hours of cheap entertainment.